On Sunday, May 17th, the Women’s Group will be hosting an “Old Timey Luncheon” in honor of our 250th Anniversary. We are asking that you furnish a food item and/or a dessert. Some suggestions include green beans, butter beans, some type of squash, potato salad, liver nips, homemade bread or cornbread. Our group is furnishing fried chicken, pound cake, coconut cake, coconut pies, pecan pies, sweet potato pies and banana pudding with meringue. So, pull out your cookbooks and look for some old Dutch Fork recipes. If you need any suggestions or recipes please call Phyllis, Joan or Patricia.
Fellowship Archive
Lutheran Women
Posted April 20, 2026 By adminMercy Bag Donations
Posted April 16, 2026 By adminSt. Jacob’s congregation helps feed needy families and has for several years. Very often, you don’t know how your donation is used.
During March 2026, the St. Jacob’s congregation donated 445 pounds of food to We Care in 24 Mercy Bags, and several bags of items that are not included in the Mercy Bags, as well as fresh eggs. These items are used by We Care on their Mobile Meals ministry where meals are taken to communities where people are not able to get to We Care. The meals St. Jacob’s provides on the first Sunday of each month go to Prosperity and the third Sunday’s bags go to Whitmire. These meals are delivered to these communities on Tuesday afternoon by We Care volunteers. During March 2026, St. Jacob’s helped provide meals for 241 families. Our bags are provided to families of 4 or more.
Thank you for your support of this important ministry.
Up and Going
Posted April 12, 2026 By adminTen members and guests braved the stormy weather on Thursday, March 12th , at 10:00 AM to gather in the Fellowship Hall to make Hospice Easter Bags. Lots of chatter and laughter accompanied the work we did. In about 2 hours, the team had completed 208 beautiful Easter Bags. So pretty with colored grass, packages of crackers, cookies, a stuffed Easter egg, and lots of different candies.
Our work time concluded with all praying together The Lord’s Prayer. We quickly put everything in its proper place. We loaded Helen’s car with all of the Hospice Easter Bags and off they went for delivery. Helen, Ann and Frances delivered 50 bags to Lutheran Hospice at White Rock and 158 Easter Bags to Prisma Hospice, Colonial Blvd, Columbia. Both groups were so excited to receive the bags and welcomed us warmly. Such a humbling experience. The group then went to Lizards Thicket for a well-deserved, delicious lunch.
Special thank you’s to everyone who contributed edible treats or money to purchase special items for the bags. Extra special thank you’s to all who braved the stormy weather to come out and help make the bags. I am so proud of each of you. You are so special and giving of your time and talents.
The April meeting will be held April 16th at Hog Heaven Restaurant in Prosperity. We will meet there at 10:45 AM. If you need a ride, please contact Helen or Ann.
Helen
Team Leader for Up and Going
Pastoral Devotion for April – Encountering the Risen Lord
Posted April 5, 2026 By adminRead John 20:19-31
Isn’t it amazing how quickly Easter Sunday comes and goes? Oh, Easter isn’t over, just the hoopla that surrounds Easter Sunday. In too many respects, the world doesn’t quite understand Easter. The crowds may be gone, but the story hasn’t been fully told. That’s the difficulty faced by the church. The crowds have not heard the whole story. It is no wonder there is so much confusion with regards to Easter. But there was also plenty of confusion that first Easter day.
Women went to the tomb and found it empty. The great stone was rolled away but no one saw who did it. Angels gave the message that Jesus had been raised. As night fell, the disciples were afraid. They locked the doors out of fear that those who killed Jesus might also come after them. Just then, Jesus stood among them very much alive.
Perhaps that’s the number one problem so many people have at Easter. Perhaps so many come for the celebration but skip the rest of the story because they are afraid that they might really have an encounter with the risen Lord.
That’s not such a far-fetched idea. All through his ministry, Jesus said that if any would follow him, they must first take up their cross. Jesus expected his followers to bear fruit for the kingdom, love God, worship him, and live for the sake of their neighbor. For so many today, doing these means a drastic change in the way life is lived.
Encountering Jesus means living on his terms, not ours. Encountering the risen Lord means we actually have to do something faithful. Meeting Jesus means acknowledging our sin and coming to repentance. It’s easy to see why so many do not want to hear the rest of the story. It’s easier to simply leave the empty tomb of Easter Sunday and get on with life on Monday. But tombs are meant for the dead, and Jesus is alive.
Jesus left behind what belongs in the tomb, the darkness of sin, death and the devil. The risen Christ brought with him light, life and the peace of God. Ours is to share the entire story so that others may come to believe.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, empower us to do your will, and go where you lead. Amen.
From Your Pastor’s Heart
Posted March 31, 2026 By adminLet us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25
As springtime begins to lead people into more and more activities, we can always look forward to increased activities in and around the church. Opportunities for cookouts, VBS, games and even the prospect of youth group gatherings on Sunday afternoons all exist.
As the calendar page flips toward the Easter season and beyond, I am reminiscent of the times when I was much younger and enjoyed many of these activities. As a youth member of my church, I looked forward to spending time with friends and several of the adults of our church family. What truly mattered to me wasn’t the number of kids who were there, but that my church took the time to show me that I mattered to them. I was loved by my congregation, and they were happy to see me.
Thankfully, it was my parents, who were active in our congregation, who made it a point to teach me what it means to be a part of the church. It took me years to understand, but in their support of our congregation’s youth activities, my parents gave me a gift that has lasted my entire life. The gift is the relationship I have always enjoyed living among God’s people. I am thankful that ever since those days long ago, I have always been connected to the church.
I can imagine what some may be thinking. “Easy for you to say, you’re a pastor.” But I have not always been a pastor. As a worker for a naval shipyard, and later as a service coordinator for a home security company, I had ample opportunities to put off my life as a church member. But the faith God gave me through my Baptism wouldn’t let me go. The gift my parents gave me as a child, and later as a teenager, continued to keep me grounded and connected to the church and people who loved me and were happy to see me. It is this gift that Angela and I strived to pass on to our children in hopes that they would always enjoy life among God’s faithful people.
In these later years of my life, I have noticed a tragic shift within the fellowship of the church. Life among people of faith seems to have been largely absorbed by life among people of the world. People are not as apt to commit to churchly activities as they once were but are more than ready to participate in worldly events. Fewer adult members of the church seem to reach out to the youth and let them know how happy they are to see them. I tip my hat to those who do and encourage others to follow.
As your pastor, I lament over those instances when time is set aside to welcome the youth of the church, but few, if any, show up. The children need to know they matter. I want the youth to know that the adults of the congregation are happy to see them. Simply put, I want today’s youth members to enjoy the same gift I received from my parents when I was their age. But it takes commitment.
In the wake of declining church membership, fewer children are present for worship or other church activities. Now more than ever, it is imperative that families share time together in worship and fellowship as often as possible. Congregations such as ours need to develop ways of welcoming families to enjoy time together away from the world’s attempts to steal them away from living as the children of God. Family ministries are a way to grow relationships between the youth and adult members of the church. Younger and older folks doing things together, enjoying time among fellow Christians, and growing the relationships God established among us all is a step forward, but again, it takes commitment.
Again, I can imagine what some are thinking, “Pastor, we have tried that before.” If that’s the case, I have some questions, “Why did you stop? Was it discouragement, was it that you grew weary, was it inconvenient?” Likely the answer to all these is “yes.” But where does that leave us as we strive to pass on the gift of Christian fellowship to our young people?
Rest assured, I’m not suggesting a new program for us to try. I’m simply suggesting to our church family, especially those with children and youth members, that it is so important to share life among the faithful with children and especially teens. The powers of this fallen and broken world are all too ready, willing, and able to snatch them up and lead them away. But we have this gift to share, the gift that will stay with them all their life long. It’s the gift of people who know that they matter, and we are happy to see them.
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Congo Mission Trip 2026
Posted March 10, 2026 By adminAs you all know, I have had to cancel my previous two mission trips to Congo, first due to health reasons, then last year due to the political climate. In that time, my partner Pastor Stephane Kalonji has journeyed to Congo without assistance from another pastor and carried out the mission work we began twelve years ago. I have truly missed being a part of this important ministry of the Gospel.
Once more, I must pass on to the congregation that I will not be traveling to Congo for a third consecutive year. Pastor Kalonji and I met via zoom to discuss our plans for the summer mission trip, but we soon were faced with a difficult reality. Donations from our family of congregations that serve as mission partners have not met the threshold that allows us both to travel and minister to the people of Congo.
Needless to say, I am very saddened by this situation. In the past twelve years, I have been blessed to serve so many people who long to receive the Gospel of our Lord and share in the goodness of a relationship with Christ’s Church. Many of those whom I have called friends have since died and many others, I fear, will pass before I have the opportunity to visit with them once more.
Still, I remain truly grateful for the support given by St. Jacob’s and the various congregations who have been a part of the Congo Mission. I know God will continue to supply what is needed for this ministry. With that being said, I encourage those who have made offerings and donations to the Congo Mission Trip to continue to do so. Pastor Kalonji will travel alone this summer. But once again, he will carry on the work of the Gospel on my behalf. I pray for his safety in travel and strength to meet the long days of ministry that await him.
St. Jacob’s 250th Year-long Celebration
Posted March 10, 2026 By adminWhat a joy it was to kick off our year of celebration. On Sunday, January 18th we welcomed former St. Jacob’s member Pastor Dawn Rister and her family as our initial Anniversary Year Guest preacher. We are grateful for her time with us and for the fellowship we shared. The 250th anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with special events and guest preachers. Thank you to everyone who donated blankets for our NALC Disaster Response Blanket Drive. Our goal for the week was 100 blankets, but thanks be to God, we collected more than 190!
In March, we will welcome another old friend as guest preacher. Pastor Henry Pawluk will be with us on Sunday, March 15th. We look forward to having Pastor Pawluk with us as he brings greetings and the Word of God. Keep an eye on the weekly worship bulletin for more on Pastor Pawluk. Below is a list of remaining events and special occasions. Please make sure to attend each of these and invite your friends and neighbors to join us.
- March 15th – Guest preacher Rev. Henry Pawluk; congregational dinner following worship.
- April 19th – Decades Day; worshipers dress from past eras and use a historic liturgy from our collective past.
- May 17th – Guest preacher Rev. Marty Ramey; congregational dinner following worship.
- June – Vacation Bible School
- July 19th – Guest preacher Rev. Randy Drafts; congregational dinner following worship.
- August 16th – Guest preacher Rev. David Tholstrup (former SCMD Dean), congregational dinner following worship.
- September 20th – Congregational Outreach Event; blankets for residents at Generations.
- October 25th – Homecoming and Anniversary Sunday, guest preacher NALC Presiding Bishop Dan Selbo; special catered congregational dinner following worship.
- November TBD – Golden Agers Recognition and Celebration.
We give thanks to God for the long history of our congregation, and especially for the life and witness of so many who have been a part of our proclamation and now take their rest in Christ. Thanks be to God for the life we share together.
Up and Going
Posted March 5, 2026 By adminEighteen members and guests gathered on February 12th at 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall to enjoy a delicious covered dish meal, the variety of food was amazing and so delicious. Good food, much conversation and laughter were shared. Helen offered the blessing for the meal.
After the meal, Helen gave the devotions from Our Daily Bread, entitled “O Love, How Deep” with Bible reading from Romans 5:19. Devotions ended with everyone praying together The Lord’s Prayer.
A short business session was held, and prayer concerns and praise items were discussed. A card with everyone ‘s personal greetings was prepared to be sent to Ramonia.
Next on our agenda was to make 150 bows for use on the Hospice Easter Bags. We will make the Hospice Easter Bags at our March meeting. Thank you members for making the beautiful bows. You are amazingly talented.
The March meeting will be at 11:00 AM on Thursday, March 12th . The location will be announced at a later date. Please hold this open so you can be here to help with our Bag project. Please remember to bring candy, individually wrapped, small packs of peanuts/trail mix etc. on Sunday, March 8th at our meeting after Service, so we can determine any additional supplies needed. You can also give candy to Helen Lindler or Ann Lindler or put them in the designated box in the Fellowship Hall.
The Congregation is invited to participate in the Hospice Easter Bags by contributing candies or nuts, etc. If you would like to help make bags, just come to the March meeting. Lunch will be provided.
Helen
Team Leader for Up and Going
Pastoral Devotion for March – Welcome the Children
Posted February 27, 2026 By adminThis is a follow-up to the devotion shared in February’s newsletter. Read Matthew 19:13-15
Welcome the children who are brought to church. Share with them the Word of God.
Even if they lay on the floor, make room for them here.
If they offer you a goldfish cracker, accept it with joy.
If one of their parents must stand in the back swaying back and forth holding them, offer to help.
Even when it’s hard. Even when you seem bothered.
When your pew looks like it was hit by a tornado, smile and remember your youthful days
Be glad they are in church. Even when you feel like staring, look at them with love, don’t let your frustration get in the way.
Be thankful they are in church and give them room to grow comfortable with your presence
Make room for them in your pew. Let them see you worship. Let them see you pray. Let them hear you sing.
Let them see you coming to the Savior with hands outstretched to receive his body and blood.
Because if they don’t see and learn these things from you, who will teach them?
The devil doesn’t want them here. He will teach them to stay away, provide something else to do.
The devil will try to distract you with a child’s curiosity.
The devil will want you to feel bothered.
The devil will convince you that the children are better off left in the nursery.
Don’t let the devil separate the children from the faithful in worship.
Satan will have you so far off course and disturbed and put out that you won’t hear the message of hope in the Lord. You will only feel angst.
The world won’t teach the children about Jesus, that’s your job.
The world won’t teach them about forgiveness, that’s yours to embody.
The world won’t teach them about grace, that’s yours to offer.
The world won’t teach them about heaven.
But Jesus said, unless you have the faith of a little child, you won’t see it either.
It begins with parents and young children feeling loved and welcomed in church.
So, welcome the children. Welcome the whole family.
A church without the sounds of children is all too quiet.
A church without the presence of children is less joyful than it need be.
So, welcome the little children. Sit with them. Teach them. Let them sit with you. Let them learn from you.
Bring the children unto Christ, do not hinder them.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, bless the adults of our congregation. Make room in our hearts to welcome little children and find joy in them as they grow in faith. Amen.
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